Dear Change Leader, Picture this: A small dinosaur stands at the edge of a cliff, its body covered in what we now know were primitive feathers—originally evolved for warmth and display, not flight. Below stretches an unfamiliar landscape, changed by shifting climates and new predators. The old hunting grounds have dried up. The familiar food […]
Sudden, large-scale growth — even when it is welcome — can destabilise an organisation that is not prepared for it. In this conversation with Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, Michael explores how nonprofits can build the organisational readiness to absorb transformational gifts and rapid scaling without losing the culture, mission focus, and operational discipline that made them
What Nonprofits Must Know About Transformational Gifts and Sudden Growth Read More »
Have you heard our clients describe what happens when they work with us? Empowered Leadership: From Uncertainty to A Confident Leadership Transition When Janet and Michelle approached me about their year-long leadership transition at a regional educational association, they balanced enthusiasm with healthy skepticism. “We’ve worked together effectively for years,” Janet explained, “but neither
Empowered Leadership: From Uncertainty to A Confident Leadership Transition Read More »
Dear Change Leader, “How do you keep going when everything feels impossible?“ This question has been on my mind in recent weeks as I’ve listened to leaders describe their experience of this moment. The challenges feel relentless. The uncertainty seems endless. And many of you are wondering how to sustain your energy and clarity when
The Long View: Building Personal Resilience for the Journey Ahead Read More »
Dear Change Leader, When a storm strikes, it’s not the strongest tree that necessarily survives—it’s the grove with intertwined root systems supporting each other through the gale. As we continue exploring resilience, let’s focus on what might be the most powerful dimension: relational resilience—the unique strength that emerges when teams bond through disruption. The
The Bonds That Rebuild: Cultivating Team Resilience Read More »
Have you heard our clients describe what happens when they work with us? Beyond Solutions – How This Team Transformed From Within At our first meeting, the CEO of a 200-person financial services firm shared a powerful realization: their company had fallen out of alignment with the diverse, multicultural clients they served. “We’ve built
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Dear Change Leader, Imagine this scene with me… It’s a windy day in the forest. Trees sway dramatically as gusts intensify, their rustling growing louder in your ears. Suddenly, one tree—its roots perhaps not as deeply anchored as others—topples onto a power line. An electrical arc sends sparks flying in all directions. In these
Finding Renewal in Disruption: The Forest Fire Principle of Resilience Read More »
Dear Change Leader, “How are you doing?” I asked a leader recently. “I’m taking it one day at a time, and I’m okay with that,” he replied, a note of celebration in his voice. You see, until we connected in a CEO Roundtable I was hosting, he had been worried that his ability
The Pathfinder Approach: Leading When You Can’t See the Full Trail Read More »
What does it mean for a nonprofit to be truly prepared for change — not just reactive, but proactively resilient? Michael’s conversation with Mickey Desai centres on the critical role of identity and purpose clarity in enabling nimble, adaptive organisations. When a crisis hits, the organisations that navigate it fastest are those that already know
The Prepared Organization with Michael Randel Read More »
In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael and Mickey Desai dig into the five most common — and costly — mistakes that leaders make when trying to navigate organisational change. From underestimating resistance to skipping the stakeholder engagement phase, these are the patterns Michael has observed across 250+ client engagements over 25 years. If you lead a
Five Critical Mistakes with Michael Randel Read More »
Dear Change Leader, What do you do when you can no longer take anything for granted? When familiar patterns and relationships are disrupted? When routines and well-established processes are no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the moment? I believe we’re facing exactly such a moment today. The political and regulatory environment is unstable.
Navigating Uncertainty: Leadership in Tumultuous Times Read More »
Dear Change Leader, Have you ever found yourself in a meeting where half the agenda items feel like routine business, while the other half discuss existential threats to your organization? This cognitive whiplash isn’t just common in leadership today—it’s the defining feature. Consider what might be on your plate this week: Your finance team needs
Leading Through Complexity: Embracing the Messy Middle Read More »